Nadaness In Motion is the book blog owned by Nada Adel Sobhi and it is where honest book reviews meet author interviews, guest posts, and personal writing ranging from poetry to short stories alongside the Takhayyal/Imagine writing prompt challenge. ---
“You cannot kill a breeze, a wind, a fragrance; you cannot kill a dream or an ambition.” - Michel Onfray

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Sunday, September 29, 2013

Erik was the most beautiful human-hybrid I had
never met. He would have been the one to give me the last adventure I sought.

This who ‘idea’ began when Anya, Marie and Chris
started thinking about the perfect companion – which was never a good idea, but
oh well, I gave it a shot anyway.

Chris’ definition of adventure always involved
women and sex – always. He never tired, whereas everyone else did from
his thoughts and stories, real or unreal. Everyone, men and women, stopped
asking, we just let him wander off into a daydream and probably went to sit on
another table or in another room altogether.

Anya, however, was a beautiful woman, with one
tiny flaw: whatever she touched turned into ice - sustainable flames being the
only exception. So naturally, a slightly-altered version of the Human Torch
would have been her ideal companion; one who seemed will never cross paths with
her. Had Anya been into women, her Human Torch and soul mate would have been
the same person: Marie.

It was common knowledge what my preferences were
here at the Academy. I liked hybrids – human hybrids. I had a soft spot for
werewolves, but they bored me. All this “We fear for you” and “Don’t approach
us in our wolf form” irritated and bored me. I had one clandestine encounter
with a white wolf – or werewolf – on the Wolf Grounds once; it was a BLAST! He
– I think – was fun and adorable, a real hunter but a catch nonetheless.
Suffice to say, I never saw him again. Bummer? Not really; I had gotten used to
those.

“Your turn, Mia! Who or what is the most
beautiful ‘creature’ you’ve never met?”

“Plenty, I suppose or rather hope.”

“Pleeeeeeeaaaassseee,” the two girls pleaded.

“Alright then,” I said and pretended to think –
but I already had some idea about who my dream creature would be.

“Erik would be the most beautiful human-hybrid I have
never met.”

“Erik? Who’s Erik?!” Chris had woken up. That
meant there will be a ton of gossip before midday!

“Erik is this sexy guy with breath-taking blue
eyes, who loves books and --”

“Sexy guy who loves books? Keep dreaming!”

“Shut up Chris!” Anya said, “or else!”
threatening him with a bare finger.

He swallowed and remained silent.

Changing her tone, she said “I like this Erik guy
already!”

“What does he turn into?” Marie, who couldn’t
hold her question back much longer, and no thanks to Chris’ interruption,
asked.

I smiled. “A dragon.”

“Seriously?!”

“Chris, what happened to your daydream? The world
was enjoying itself in your sleep.”

He crossed his eyebrows at Anya, but stayed
silent. Chris may be one of the smartest people in the world, but girls were
not his area and Anya’s abilities were to be feared and unchallenged on all
occasions.

“A dragon,” I started again, “Erik would take me
flying and probably diving. We’d do all the things humans did but without
worrying about my nebulous magical abilities.”

The girls smiled; and I could have sworn Chris
did too.

It’s true I had come a long way since my magical
powers unveiled themselves to me. But still, I always had to be in control, I
could never be free. I controlled the elements, but Fire was my best and
favourite. Were I to lose myself to it for a second, the Academy and all in it
along with a few houses in the vicinity would be toast, for Fire had a mind of
its own. It was also my strongest element.

“Aren’t you worried he’d be terrified of you?!”

It was Chris again. Apparently, he had got some
idea of my flashback – something my eyes showed often.

“Well, I haven’t thought of that. But since I
have never met him, I would never know.”

Friday, September 27, 2013

As electrons and
protons attract, so did they. When fire falls in love with water, the balance
is shattered and pain and suffering ensue. The sun and moon can never linger
long enough to ease each other’s longing. A tiger and a deer cannot be friends
even if the tiger sees more to the deer than just food and fulfillment. So
couldn’t they; she a woman and he a wild white wolf.

This is for this week's Five-Sentence Flash Fiction prompt that can be found here. The prompt is "magnetic".

Thursday, September 26, 2013

“We were young and in love with the world ahead
of us. Seamen told tales of raging seas and sea monsters and gold and new
worlds. It was like a fantastical dream. Michael and I wanted our own
adventure, our own tale to tell. I remember him one fine summer’s day showing
me a huge map with all the lands that we’ve heard people return from. It was
magnificent really, so many places to see. He had his arm around me and we had
hopes and fantasies like everyone.”

“Tell us more, grandma!” The children said.

She
sighed as the memories of a time long past flooded back.

“India was under British rule at the time and
America was called the New World. People said it was rich with gold and beauty.
We were young and in love.”

A tear trickled down her face.

“The world was full of promise, both real and
fake”. She paused to wipe her face. “We wanted to live the dream, get married
and have children. but unlike the reveries we spent nights talking about. We
journeyed, through pain and hardship, to the New World. We were young and in
love.”

“Keep going, grandma! Tell us more about
grandpa!” The squealed excitedly.

Wiping her eyes again, she said “I’ll tell you
more tomorrow. Now off to bed. Your mother won’t forgive me for keeping you
up.”

They left unhappily but with make-up fantasies
of their own, while the old lady sat in her rocking chair by the window and let
the memories flow like the smooth water of the lake before her.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

I’m back! Was travelling and now I’m back with a lot on my
“Blog Agenda” from a planned-and-postponed
revamp to lots of posts.

I have been planning on making it a habit of making at
least threeposts per week and I’m currently hoping I’ll
be able to fulfill that. I haven’t decided if they should be any random three
days or fixed ones. Preferences?

Friday will definitely be one of those days, since it’s
the first day of the weekend here and I try to take part in at least one of the
Friday Flash Fiction contests. There will be also the #VisDare and the 55
Word-Challenge (the latter being on Wednesday) – so still not sure if I should
fix my days. Considering having any Sunday post since many have Sunday off.

I am also thinking of trying to do a few things for Halloween in October. There will definitely be a book review of "30 Scary Tales" and I'm sure there will be a few Halloween-related prompts.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Life
Under Examination
by Aria Glazki is a unique poetry collection where the reader can relate to
almost every poem. Written in rhymed verse and decent bit of alliteration here
and there, this collection encompasses a total of 26 poems on many topics as diverse
as fairies and tragedies.

The
collection opens with “Seminar”, a beautifully penned piece. I honestly did not know what to
expect when I read that title. But I must say it lived far beyond my
expectations. There are certainly many stanzas to which people in general and
students in particular can relate to, like that moment when you're asked to
answer a question or give an opinion and your face begins to flare red and you
feel like you're about to explode. A simply spectacular poem about a topic almost
everyone everywhere experiences but has never written about.

The
second piece “Otherworldy Remedy” is
one that hits a soft spot for me as a
poet, reader and lover of all that is magical, mythological and fantastical!

"For what are our lives if they're not filled with
magic?

They're pointless, and dull, and so very tragic."

Lines that ring true. I'll be hanging this poem somewhere
in my room, or better on my desk to keep me alive every time I feel down.
Hats off for this purely perfect piece!

“Out of Sight”is a neat and thought-provoking poem that makes other poets and
writers consider and contemplate the poor fairies' and muses' dilemma. It
brought a sad smile to my face, for the simple fact that we don't really think
of them and often associate these creatures with clichés, like playing pranks
as Glazki mentions here.

Following
that is “Eureka”, which, like many poems
in Life Under Examination, is an interesting and thought-provoking piece.
I'm sure every reader, no matter how
old or young, can relate to this one and to the feeling we get when we try to
cling to that fleeting thought; even when we come to write it down, parts of it
just seem to vanish. I like how the opening two lines are repeated in the final
stanza; it gives a sort of coming-together feel.

“Cinematography”
is a modern take on the Cinderella story
without the fairy god-mother or the magic; though the evil step-mother is there
in a new character. The title is a bit odd though, or not-so-poetic for me.
Although it does give the reader something to think about the next time they
watch or read any Cinderella story or adaptation.

*Hats off and thumbs up* is all I can
say for Glazki’s “Commercialised Love”; that, and I love the title. A perfect fit for the notorious V-Day!

Life
Under Examination
also hits on the satirical and the ridiculous as seen in “Newsworthy”, which is a satirical piece for those, often ugly, poodles and their extravagant
owners.

“Hope Dies Last” is a powerful poem for every
tragedy in every time and era. As a
reader “Hope Dies Last” makes me think and believe that hope does not die at all.
It is a sad and powerful dedication. I had written parts of the commentary before
reading the final note on the poem. It was then that I realised that the poem
is about attacks that took place in Moscow in 2002; but throughout, the poem reminded
me of a more recent tragedy, the Aurora Shooting that took place in 2012, where
a gunman opened fire inside a movie theatre killing 12 innocent people and
injuring more than 50 others.
I hope “Hope” never dies.

Glazki
moves on to something lighter; a piece that I'm sure will remind all who read it of a special someone in their
lives. “Only You” made me smile and that's all I can say.

“In
Passing”
is an interesting piece about war and loss. I found it a
bit vague, but nonetheless intriguing.

The
poem “Mother” is one of the best, strongest and most heartfelt pieces in this
entire collection! It is a poem about the traits of a mother, every mother of
every species, for that matter. This stanza, in particular, reminded me of
cats, especially how feline mothers are incomparably vicious when it comes to
their young: “With an innate fierceness/She'll
protect them to her death/Cursing the world that hurt them/With every living
breath”.

I, also, loved the lines “She creates a foundation/Then builds supporting beams”.
The entire poem just makes your heart beat differently. It is a perfect
dedication to all mothers out there and to the efforts they undertake to keep
their children safe. A thank you is due to every mother and accordingly to Ms.
Glazki for penning this one.

Then,
we come to Glazki’s poem “Blood”,
which is by all means a psychotic piece!
I loved it. And that's all I’m going to say about it. I will leave it for the rest
of the world to read and see for themselves.

*thumbs up Ms. Glazki*

“Last Night” is a short,
interesting piece. I particularly like how it begins with “and” as though
beginning in the middle of the story. The first four lines are a poem of their
own; strong, deep and emotional. Perfect.

Then
Ms. Glazki takes us on to the short, deep and both heartfelt and heartbreaking
poem “Resolution”.

Glazki concludes her collection on a hopeful note and some seriously
powerful imagery with her poem “Whole”.

I have not commented on all the pieces in
the collection, for they are after all 26 pieces, but I have commented and
written down notes on those that struck a chord with me (which is most of the
collection).

Although the title Life Under
Examination gives the this impression of a much philosophical work, it is a
simple heartfelt collection of poems written, probably, at different stages of
Ms. Glazki’s life. Life Under Examination deserves more than a 5-star
rating for it is a collection that can, and will, touch each and every one.

Find her Facebook page here and find her
on Twitter here.Updates: Read my two-part interview with Aria here and here.Also, check out her guest post on how to keep writing interesting and her writing tips for new and established authors.